Mayor Adams Modifies Plan to Send out Cops Solo to Some Subway Stations after a Police Officer was Attacked

By Yehudit Garmaise

After a Brooklyn police officer patrolling the Pennsylvania Avenue subway station alone was assaulted, Mayor Adams immediately revised the plan he announced Monday to send unpartnered police officers to stand watch at the city’s subway stations.

On Tuesday, shortly before 7 pm, a police officer was pulled down the subway platform’s staircase by an unruly passenger, who was homeless.

After the police officer asked the 24-year-old man to put out his cigarette, he responded by throwing himself down the subway’s staircase, the NYPD said.

As the police officer tried to help the suspect, who has a history of attacking NYPD officers, the man dragged the officer the rest of the down the stairs and allegedly tried to grab the gun of the cop, who not injured and was able to apprehend him. 

NYPD Keechant Sewell said that sending cops out solo will help them “cover more area,” as they patrol the transit system.

Mayor Adams announced today that he will tweak his original plan that seeks to more evenly distribute the manpower of the police force.

While police officers will continue to go out on solo patrol at smaller subway stations, officers will remain partnered, but will patrol while “staying within each other's sightlines,” said NYPD spokesperson, who added that its modified plan will “increase visibility of police officers looking out for the riding public while at the same time looking out for each other."

"The incident involving the officer who was assaulted is a reminder that there are individuals who have no respect for the law or those who enforce it," the NYPD continued. "A police officer should be able to instruct someone not to smoke on a subway platform without that resulting in a serious altercation. 

“This will not be tolerated which is why we have steadily increased uniformed presence in the transit system."